Saturday, June 18, 2005

What Are Micronations?

Micronations (also called Micro Nations) are the smallest form of official nationhood. Usually they are nations which hold little or no land, but have laid claim to sovereign independence and territory. Most are unrecognized by the major countries of the world.

In most cases, Micronations are attempts at founding new countries. They often declare dominion over land that actually exists, often tiny, isolated islands, or other areas undeveloped by major world powers. Like other countries, many Micronations have proclaimed declarations of independence, adopted constitutions, sought diplomatic recognition, appointed ambassadors, displayed national flags, and issued stamps, passports, and currency.

There are several types of Micronations, ranging from small established and "landed" states, such as the Island of Antigua, with a population less than a hundred thousand people, to "model" nations which may have as few as one citizens. Most usually Micronations fall within the following categories:

ESTABLISHED STATES: These Micronations are most usually termed "Micro States". They actually own soverign land, and are recognized as independant by one or more major world countries. Established Micronations include small independant islands such as Antigua, and Vatican City, which holds only 108 acres of sovereign land. Most other forms of Micronations seek to be established, "landed" states of this type.

They will have real-time maps, will be simultaneously recording and displaying happenings and experiences throughout the area.www.theg77.org

Rapheal ShirleyCircumstantial collisions by Raphaele Shirley. A great statement can sometimes be found in silence. A great act can be simply to observe, to be there seeing. To influence through one’s awareness. As an actor in this world (because I am here) I would like to speak and intervene solely so that, in the conjugations of life events, my involvement and impact is that of a catalyzing agent, this, through careful observation and focused intentions. From this stance, the object of creation could be a very light handed, yet perhaps highly consequential, act: the observing and facilitating of circumstantial interactions, the provoking of loosely organized instances, the concentration of a wide range of variables into moments of transcendence.How could this spell out related to the topic of micronations? My mind spins towards the possibility of redefining the terms of societies and their territories. And, in keeping with the concept of ‘treading lightly”- minimal materials/high impact- generating a series of drawn symbols which contain the concept of a global nation, undefined and pregnant with potential in its acceptance of the freedom and sense of responsibility of its citizens*. As symbols usually contain the keys of identity and meaning, these here created would signify a state, a state of being, whose currency would be potential, empirical wisdom and transparency. Where and how would these symbols manifest themselves in the material realm? On the written page, on fabric, on clothing… Somewhere temporary where they can exist for a short while, to create ripples, effects of their suggestions….

*This global nation, which inherently somewhat exists already by virtue of us all being here in the same time/space continuum, would be aware of itself and accepting of the wild diversity of possible micronations and the wide range of elements of auto-determination that it contains. Make your flag into the latest fashion. Is she recreating the cult of style?

CBTSA:Hunter Gatherer MissionThe Hunter Gatherer Mission is an ongoing series of expeditions in which we have deployed a fleet of Exploratory Rovers ihttp://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gifnto the environment surrounding EarthBase 1 to gather physical samples and photographs from the indigenous population. By this method we can create a detailed image of the societies and cultures within our reach.

One of the investigative methods we employ is the plotting of courses through the unknown by linking together related individuals. Each one of these individuals leads us to a cluster of new individuals, each with their own cluster of associated individuals. In this manner we can gather data on great areas of space, all of it directly relevant to us here at EarthBase 1.http://a.parsons.edu/~truett/cbtsa/index2.php

The CamouflageMuseum brings us - Reoility:Perfume comes from the Latin words ‘per’ and ‘fumare’: through smoke. In ancient time good smell was linked with smoke. In order to make perfume from all the ingredients and use it, the ingredients have to go trough a refinery. Then perfume is presented in beautiful flacons that support the lifestyle and luxury of the product. Out of the many possible scents that represent contemporary lifestyle, our scientists chose mineral oil, because of its political relevance and its link to luxurious items like cars, heat and the shinyness of its black color.

Remembering Lizzy Grubman, and the end of the Hamptons as we knew it."Accident, a performance by John Enxuto will spinout in the Hampton Hall parking lot.

Jason Peters presents: "Air Defined", a sculptural illustration of surface, form, beauty, space and really, all of the things we care deeply about, while Eric Payson disrupts us with "Paramedia" - his baby, his psychosis, his documents of the cult of Long Island.

Hamptons Pool brought to you by Lifeboat | Hamptons:Come join us for an open discussion on the human condition and other important and timeless claims as we relax in a cool wading pool that will be on display and in use, outside of the Hampton Hall.

TO LABEL OR NOT.

One of the first questions in planning Lifeboat Hamptons: Micro-Scope, a project broaching the subject and possibility of the Micro-nation, is of course: What will we wear in our mainstay, The Hamptons Micro-Nation?

Step 2: Illumination.A. As a group presenting the cohesion between good style and progressive politics, there are a few rules that apply when deciding on Micro-Nation Wear. The label is a blatant signifier of The Dollar. The more at ease one is inside of his or her own wealth, the less showy one is. Do we want to present our team as caricatures of Southhampton, or take a cue from our more subdued Westhampton neighbors? Do we want to shout “Louis Vuitton”, or exude Pucci?

I am opting for choice B, The Private Designer, but a little variety within the group never hurt, and as long as it remains solely within the surface realm of fashion, and does not seep into our very ideological reasons for being, it is fine.

For Further Reference, I have consulted with Hamptons View:Unless stated on the invitation men rarely wear ties and can always fall back on the khaki, blue blazer uniform especially if the event is in Southampton, but try to give it a little snazz. For the gals, remember that many of high society's doyennes all shop at the same places so to avoid ending up with a separated at birth twin across the room, mix and match different designers and pieces so you come up with something unique. There is almost always a chill in the air so you'll need layers. That sundress that was great at 4 will be freezing at 10 so keep a shawl or sweater handy - unless of course you've got a chivalrous guy who lends you his classic but stylish blue blazer.This is all good to keep in mind.

Friday, June 17, 2005

Creating Your Own Micro Nation

by Mary Mattingly and Paul Middendorf

The Lifeboat is a no-yield, nongovernmental organization. Its members are a mounting group of active artists curated by Paul Middendorf and Mary Mattingly, dedicated to providing solutions that will safeguard humanity from the growing threat of terrorism and technological cataclysm.

Paul and Mary have constructed a seaworthy island, register it under a carefully selected flag of convenience, and are using it as a mobile base of sorts; a floating Freetown that roams waters and sometimes establishes semi-permanent settlements. Stealth, mobility, obscurity, legal loopholes, and some good old firepower will result in a very decent level of practical autonomy.

It is aboard one of such vessel that, perhaps, the more "radical" technologies (advanced genetic engineering, GPS tracking, bio-mechanical enhancements, neural interfaces, AI etc.) will best be developed and experimented with. This becomes more and more sought after on our own soil after cases under the veil of Homeland Security bring up situations like the fall 2004 predicament with the Critical Art Ensemble, whose art and bio genetics research lab was seized and confiscated by the FBI.

No longer, in most cases, does the nationality of a ship's owner have anything to do with the flag the ship flies. Most of the oceangoing vessels owned by Americans are registered abroad, their ostensible "home offices" in places like Panama City or Monrovia, Liberia. In the turn lies the question, does the globalization of exchanges put an end to the universalizations of values, or further it? The universal has become globalized, and human rights circulate exactly like any other global product (oil or capital for example).

In midst of the gallery-world, Paul and Mary include artists’ works that are concerned with topics of environment, politics, language, technologies, and social communities.

Mary Mattingly is an artist who participates in a community-based arts organization in New York. She is represented by Robert Mann Gallery in New York, and has ongoing national and international projects including residency in Rotterdam, Holland and work with her continuous project A New Breed. Resident of the Lifeboat.

Paul Middendorf, graduate of The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, is an artist/curator living and working in Portland, Or. He is also Co-Founder and Creative Director of Disjecta Art Center, and Founder of Manifest Artistry Organization. Resident of the Lifeboat.